Head Chef

Head Chef | Lake Eildon Hotel

Looking for a lifestyle change without compromising your passion for great food?

Lake Eildon Hotel is a beautifully renovated lakeside pub where genuine hospitality meets quality modern pub dining. Set on the shores of Lake Eildon in regional Victoria, we’re passionate about serving great food in a relaxed and welcoming environment, and we’re looking for an experienced, hands on Head Chef to guide our kitchen into its next chapter.

This is an opportunity to embrace a genuine lake change, take the reins of the kitchen and put your own stamp on our next chapter, all while living and working in one of Victoria’s most beautiful regional destinations.

About the role

As our Head Chef, you’ll have the opportunity to make the kitchen your own while maintaining the high standards our guests have come to expect.

This is a hands on and autonomous leadership role. You’ll take responsibility for the successful day-to-day operation of the kitchen, working closely with the owners and FOH management team.

You’ll be responsible for:

• Leading, mentoring and managing the kitchen team
• Managing kitchen staffing, rostering and labour requirements
• Overseeing daily preparation and service
• Menu planning, development, costing and implementation
• Maintaining consistently high standards of food quality, presentation and portion control
• Managing ordering, stock control, supplier relationships and waste
• Monitoring food and labour costs to support a commercially sustainable kitchen
• Maintaining food-safety, hygiene and workplace-safety standards
• Ensuring food-safety procedures, records and compliance requirements remain current
• Delivering smooth and consistent service through busy weekends and peak holiday periods
• Building a positive, respectful and well-organised kitchen culture

You’ll have the autonomy to run kitchen operations confidently, supported by owners who are actively involved in the venue and genuinely value their team.

About you

You may already be working as a Head Chef, Sous Chef or Kitchen Manager, or you may be an experienced senior chef ready to take the next step into your first Head Chef position.

What matters most is your ability to work autonomously, lead a team and take responsibility for the overall performance of the kitchen.

You’ll be someone who:

• Leads calmly and confidently under pressure
• Loves producing quality modern pub food
• Brings creativity, fresh ideas and commercial awareness
• Has strong all-round cooking skills across lunch and dinner service
• Builds a positive and supportive team culture
• Is organised, reliable and leads by example
• Understands menu costing, stock control and waste management
• Can plan and manage kitchen staffing effectively
• Thrives during busy services while maintaining high standards
• Communicates well with owners, venue management and front-of-house staff

Relevant commercial cookery qualifications are preferred, together with strong food-safety knowledge. A current Food Safety Supervisor certificate would be highly regarded or can be arranged for the right candidate.

What we offer

• Negotiable salary package
• Genuine autonomy over day-to-day kitchen operations
• The opportunity to shape the menu and influence the future direction of the kitchen
• A loyal clientele who appreciate great food and genuine hospitality
• A beautifully renovated venue in an incredible lakeside location
• Supportive, hands-on owners who genuinely value their team
• A flexible start date
• On-site accommodation available
• A regional lifestyle with boating, fishing, hiking and the Victorian High Country on your doorstep

Who we are

Lake Eildon Hotel is a beautifully renovated lakeside pub in the heart of regional Victoria. We’re a welcoming destination for locals, weekend visitors and holidaymakers, known for genuine hospitality, quality modern pub food and a relaxed atmosphere.

With a loyal customer base, supportive team culture and an incredible location overlooking Lake Eildon, we’re proud to be part of the local community and excited about the next chapter of our food offering.

If you’re ready for a lake change and the opportunity to lead a kitchen where quality, creativity and genuine hospitality matter, we’d love to hear from you!

Apply by submitting your résumé and a short introduction telling us about yourself, your experience and what appeals to you about the role.

Email: manager@lakeeildonhotel.com.au